When Waking a Tiger
by EudaimonArisornae
Summary: Complete. Now that Barnaby has realized his feelings, he seeks time alone to keep his emotions in check. However, Kotetsu can't ignore his partner when he's obviously troubled by something… Kotetsu x Barnaby
1. Chapter 1

Title: When Waking a Tiger

Rating: M

Characters: Kotetsu/Barnaby

Chapter: 1 of 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Tiger & Bunny

Warning: Some explicit content. Possible spoilers if you haven't gotten through Episode 13 (the conclusion of the Jake Martinez arc); however, this is set at no particular point in time.

A very special thanks to calloutyoru for her help, guidance and inspiration in completing this.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_I'll never love another_.

Barnaby Brooks, Jr., woke suddenly, covered in sweat, his heart racing at an unnatural pace. It was a familiar feeling—the same way he had awakened hundreds of times before, as he dreamt of the murder of his parents over and over. However, that dream had not plagued him for quite some time; instead, a new dream had shocked him out of his slumber.

Now that the dream was over, a single, haunting phrase ran through his mind. "_I'll never love another_," his partner, Kaburagi Kotetsu, declared. His low, teasing voice seemed to resonate from all around. Even as Barnaby came out of his dreamy hazy, the phrase still continued repeating in his mind.

The dream was about an incident that had happened recently, during an uneventful evening when Kotetsu and Barnaby had gone out for drinks.

_It was a typical evening after work. The two men sat at the end of the bar, sipping drinks while they quietly conversed. Yet at some point, the conversation took an unusual turn, and the older man made mention of his deceased wife. Usually, this was a topic that Kotetsu refused to discuss. Barnaby understood that it was off-limits, and he never so much as alluded to it. But for some reason, tonight, his partner was willing to say a few words about her._

_Barnaby realized that although his partner knew so much about his own tragic past, Kotetsu seldom spoke about anything negative that had happened to him. Even when he spoke of her tonight, he tried to sound upbeat, but Barnaby knew him too well to miss the profound sadness behind his eyes._

_"I'll never love another," was the last comment Kotetsu had made about her, grinning foolishly to mask the pain that he must have been feeling in recalling memories of his wife._

_Barnaby nodded quietly and stared down into his drink, trying to act unaffected. Yet inside, he felt like he had been struck in the chest with a hammer. He struggled to force the breath in and out of his lungs._

_Oblivious to any of Barnaby's inner turmoil, the dark haired man sighed, and rested his chin on his hands. Barnaby could not help but fixate on the wedding right he still wore on his finger._

That was the moment when Barnaby had finally come to terms with a feeling that had been growing in the back of his mind for some time. He had being trying to ignore or deny it, but at that time, the pain he felt cleared any last suspicion he had. Despite how goofy and clumsy this partner of his was, somehow, in the time they had spent together, he had grown to feel affection toward him that was far greater than friendship...

_I can't keep denying that I'm in love with Kotetsu-san,_ he agonized.

This was only the first of many reoccurring nightmares that Barnaby had about that evening.

* * *

Once again, Barnaby had retreated to the rooftop of the Justice Tower. It was all he could do when he felt himself slipping; he didn't want anyone else to figure out that he was struggling to keep his feelings in check. Too often in the past, he had let his emotions betray him.

He stared out at the horizon, forcing himself to take deep, steady breaths until his pulse began to return to a normal rate. Finally, he felt himself start to relax. He sighed heavily and leaned against the railing. Engrossed in his thoughts, he failed to notice another approach him.

"What's wrong, Bunny?" he heard a rumbling voice behind him, too close to his ear. He felt a familiar hand gently touch his shoulder.

Barnaby spun around and started to pull away, but his gaze locked with Kotetsu's intense eyes and he froze. As always, the older man's expression reflected an unbearable amount of emotion. The concern and care that reflected back at him, which felt like it was meant _only_ for him, was too much for the young man to take. He averted his eyes as he felt his cheeks grow warm.

Kotetsu removed his hand from Barnaby's shoulder. He leaned against the rail, a bit too close to Barnaby for his comfort.

"Why are you here?" Barnaby finally snapped. "I wanted some time alone."

"I'm your partner," Kotetsu glanced over his shoulder, grinning nonchalantly. "Is there something wrong with me being concerned?"

_More than you realize_, Barnaby thought bitterly. He crossed his arms and stared down at his feet, trying to think of an excuse that would make his partner leave. Absentmindedly, he gnawed at his lower lip.

Kotetsu turned to face him, and gently brushed his hand against Barnaby's jaw.

The blonde man flinched in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"You were biting your lip," Kotetsu replied, his expressive eyes carefully scanning Barnaby's face.

"You know," Kotetsu started, "there was a time you didn't want to talk to me about anything, but that was quite awhile ago. I know you've learned since then you can talk to me about whatever's on your mind." He smiled broadly, raising his hand in a thumbs-up gesture, using the protruding thumb to point as his chest. "So, you should tell your partner what's on your mind," he concluded boldly.

"I can tell my partner anything, huh," Barnaby repeated flatly.

"Yeah, anything. Don't take all the burden on alone," Kotetsu said, placing his hands on his hips and widening his grin.

Barnaby felt his patience start to slip. He had already been on edge before the older man appeared before him. He could only endure so much more before his temper was going to flash.

"We've been together too long for you to make this mistake again," Kotetsu continued obliviously.

"Been together," Barnaby growled under his breath. _His choice of words is just _too_ terrible_, he thought as his feelings continued to boil.

"Your problem is my problem."

And then, Barnaby felt it ignite inside of him; that uncontrollable frustration he could no longer suppress.

He reached out and violently grabbed Kotetsu by his vest, clutching the fabric tightly. "You think you have the same problem as me? That you can just start your meddling, and suddenly we share all the same feelings?"

Kotetsu reached up and scratched the side of his head. "I guess what I mean is, I'll make it my problem, too, even if it has nothing to do with me—"

"That's just it—it has _everything_ to do with you!" Barnaby exploded, cutting him off.

Barnaby clutched his vest tighter and yanked Kotetsu closer to him, until his face was just inches from his own, glaring at him angrily. A wave of concern passed over Kotetsu's face, but he made no move to try to pull away.

Instead, Kotetsu reached forward and pressed Barnaby's shoulder firmly, almost tenderly. "Oi, if I did something to make you this upset, then tell me what it was. Otherwise I won't be able to figure out how to make it right."

"You won't be able to make it right anyway," Barnaby snapped, still tightly clutching the other man's vest.

"Why not?"

"Because of _this_," he replied angrily. He pulled Kotetsu against him and pressed their lips together. Barnaby let go of his vest and determinedly grabbed onto Kotetsu's shoulders, holding him in place so he could not escape. At first, he kissed him apprehensively, then more forcefully, and held him in the kiss for what felt like an inordinately long amount of time.

When he let go and pulled away, he was not sure what kind of expression he expected to see. Kotetsu was the kind of man who could not help but openly wear every single emotion he was feeling. Surely, Barnaby was about to see a kaleidoscope of anger, disgust and outrage.

Yet when he pulled away, Kotetsu wore none of those expressions. At first, his mouth was slightly agape in surprise, his brown eyes wide. He stared at Barnaby speechlessly.

Then his expression softened, and he looked at him with a mixture of understanding and relief, a small smile crossing his face.

"Ah, is that it, Bunny," he rumbled softly, reaching out toward Barnaby's face to brush a stray strand of hair off of his cheek. The gentleness of his touch and voice sent a shiver down Barnaby's spine.

"I see why it was hard," Kotetsu continued, resting his hand on Barnaby's cheek. "You're right, it does have everything to do with me." His rough hand felt warm and comforting against his face.

Kotetsu leaned forward and gently pressed his mouth against Barnaby's lips. As the seconds ticked by, he pulled Barnaby closer and closer to him, pressing his lips and body more firmly against him, until there was no space left between the two of them.

Barnaby's pulse raced wildly. He desperately tried to make up his mind whether he should pull away or continue, but he could not think clearly, and instead let Kotetsu continue to guide him.

The older man started to move more eagerly, deepening the kiss. His tongue adeptly explored his mouth, playfully pressing against Barnaby's. The blonde man could not help but let a few muffled moans of pleasure escape. For as clumsy as Kotetsu was in most things he did, Barnaby was surprised at the skill of the kiss.

Unconsciously, Barnaby pressed his body more tightly against him, pulling him as close as possible. Then, as he pressed against Kotetsu's lower half, he felt that telltale sign of pleasure press against his own erection.

Barnaby suddenly pulled away, shocked back into reality. He forcefully pried the older man away from him. He panted heavily, out of breath. His body ached for more, but he willed himself to widen the distance, so that they were no longer touching.

"I'm not sure why you just did that," Barnaby said, trying to quell the shakiness of his voice. "No matter how you look at it, this isn't logical."

"Eh? What does that have to do with anything? I always say you have to go with your gut—and that applies even more when it comes to something like this." Kotetsu scratched his head thoughtfully.

Barnaby scowled. "What part of another man kissing you would make your instinct be to kiss back?"

"Well, it's just..." Kotetsu trailed off, gazing upward in thought.

"Just what?"

"It felt good, and I have no reason to _not_ want to do that sort of thing with you."

_What the hell does he mean by no reason _not_ to want to do this with me? _

"Even if you say that now, I'm sure once you've given it a little bit more thought, you'll wonder why you didn't knock me down for that," Barnaby concluded.

Kotetsu shook his head negatively. "No way."

Barnaby desperately fought the urge to flee from Kotetsu's penetrating gaze. He did not want to keep experiencing the twisting, apprehensive feelings deep in his stomach. And perhaps worst of all, he knew that if he did not cool down, his temper would lead to him saying something he would regret.

Yet all of Barnaby's willpower was not enough to stop it from flashing. "Then why don't we test that out," he said haughtily.

_Dammit, shut your mouth, you fool_, he though inwardly. He stared at Kotetsu, trying to maintain a fierce expression.

"I'm not sure entirely what you mean," he said, tilting his head curiously. "But I guess whatever you have in mind, I'm alright with it."

_Don't just say you'll go along with anything! _Barnaby bit down on his lip, hard, trying to suppress a tremble. "Then be at my place tonight at nine."

Kotetsu smiled. "Ah, is that it? Alright, I'll be there." To Barnaby, at that moment, the brightness of his smile felt almost blinding.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: When Waking a Tiger

Rating: M

Characters: Kotetsu/Barnaby

Chapter: 2 of 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Tiger & Bunny

Warning: Some explicit content. Possible spoilers if you haven't gotten through Episode 13 (the conclusion of the Jake Martinez arc); however, this is set at no particular point in time.

_A very special thanks to calloutyoru for her help, guidance and inspiration in completing this._

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Inside of Barnaby's barren apartment, he and Kotetsu sat in silence. The older man looked at him expectantly, as if waiting for something.

"What is it?" Barnaby asked, irritated.

Kotetsu averted his gaze, casually looking upward at the ceiling. "Ah, well, you sounded like you wanted me to come here for a reason, so I thought you were going to tell me about something."

Barnaby inhaled sharply. _What _did_ I have in mind?_ he thought. _That he would flee after being alone with me for a few minutes? Maybe that he wouldn't come at all?_

He fixed his gaze on Kotetsu, his expression unreadable. _He'll leave if it goes too far, I'm sure_, he decided.

Taking a deep breath, he calmly rose to his feet and gathered his courage. "I suppose that's somewhat accurate, but I hadn't planned on _telling_ you anything." He purposely placed extra emphasis on the word.

"Ah, what then?"

Barnaby walked up to the older man, who was casually leaning back in his seat. Barnaby learned forward until he was close enough to feel his breath. "I was planning on doing this," he whispered, and kissed him.

To his surprise, Kotetsu eagerly kissed back. Further, he reached out and placed his hand behind Barnaby's head, so that the blonde man could not pull away even if he wanted to.

Once again, Barnaby felt that adept tongue seeking passage into his mouth. He could not help but allow it. As it expertly hit all of the places that made him want to cry aloud, his guard began to slip and he forgot that his original plan was to make the other man want to flee.

Kotetsu finally let go of the back of his head. Realizing he was free, Barnaby started to pull away, but he missed his opportunity. Kotetsu grabbed him by his waist and pulled the younger man on top of him, so that he was straddling him.

Then he felt those same strong arms wrap around his back, holding him firmly. Now that his body was in full contact with Kotetsu's, his reason was slipping away. Barnaby reached forward and started to run his fingers through his hair, twisting the tendrils between his digits.

Barnaby began to move his tongue more forcefully, attempting to mimic Kotetsu. The older man let out a pleasurable murmur letting him know he approved.

He pulled away in surprise, gasping for breath, and started at Kotetsu's face in disbelief. They locked eyes for a moment, but then Kotetsu leaned forward and pressed his lips against Barnaby's silky neck.

Barnaby gasped loudly. The feeling of his mouth alternating sucking and biting on his sensitive neck was unbearable.

He nibbled at his ear gently. "Bunny," he whispered, his voice rumbling seductively in his ear.

The blonde man cried aloud, digging his fingernails into the older man's neck. Then he felt his tongue against his sensitive earlobe.

"Ko... Te... Tsu... San," Barnaby gasped, his pitch much higher than normal. He tilted his head backwards. His pupils were dilated, and he was having trouble focusing on anything.

"Mmm, Bunny," Kotetsu repeated, his mouth slowly traversing down from his neck to the front of his throat. Kotetsu started to unfasten the buttons on Barnaby's shirt, kissing the length of his chest. Barnaby raised a hand in front of his mouth, as though blocking the orifice would stop all of the embarrassing sounds from escaping.

Once he has undone all of the buttons, Kotetsu began to remove his own shirt. He pulled away for a moment, unbuttoning and pulling off his vest. After haphazardly discarding it on the floor, he kissed Barnaby deeply as he started with his the buttons on his own shirt.

As soon as the last button was done, Barnaby took the initiative and slid his hands up his firm chest until he reached his shoulders. He ran his fingers over his muscular arms, pushing the shirt onto the floor. Then he sat upright so he could pull his own shirt off.

Kotetsu watched him intently as he pulled away. They locked eyes, and the blonde man found himself unable to turn away, mesmerized by his lustful gaze. When his shirt was removed, Kotetsu reached out to grab Barnaby by the shoulders and pulled him back toward him.

As he lowered himself onto Kotetsu's lap, Barnaby could feel the older man's bulging erection; he wanted him just as badly as he. Kotetsu began to nip at his neck again, and he could feel the roughness of his goatee against his skin. Barnaby leaned in and pressed his lips against Kotetsu's neck, first planting soft kisses, and then gently raking his teeth across his skin.

Kotetsu moaned loudly. Suddenly he grabbed Barnaby by the arm and sat upright, forcing him to turn over until the younger man was pinned underneath him.

He kissed him with a desperate passion that made Barnaby feel like his heart was going to leap out of his throat. He slid his body up and down, and though they were still fully clothed from the waist down, Barnaby could feel their throbbing members brushing past each other. He reached downward and rubbed his hands against it. Kotetsu let out a low moan, pleasurable moan, encouraging him to keep going.

Kotetsu pulled himself slightly upward and started at him carefully. "Bunny," he said, a conflicting expression of lust and concern in his eyes, "is this what you want?"

Barnaby reflexively pulled his hand away, suddenly doubting himself. However, a moment of staying still made him realize his body was crying out for more physical contact with his partner, and he desperately reached out to pull him closer.

"Yes," he answered simply, unable to articulate anything further.

"Alright... I'm glad," Kotetsu smiled tenderly. He reached toward Barnaby's pants and started to unfasten his belt buckle. "If we go any further than this, I don't think I'll be able to stop."

* * *

_I'll never love another._

The same dream again... the only dream that had ever plagued him besides the memory of his parents' deaths.

Barnaby awoke with a start, but as he started to jerk himself upright, he realized a heavy arm was wrapped around him, pinning him against the bed.

He gasped aloud as he turned to see Kotetsu was lying next to him. Memories of the night before came flooding into his mind.

The increasingly erotic expressions that Kotetsu made as they explored more and more of each other. The pleasurable moans that slipped out of his mouth. The feeling of his firm, muscular body grinding against his, eagerly coming together with him. The trickle of sweat on his forehead from his exertion. The sensation of his hands tenderly stroking every last inch of his body. The sound of their fervid shouts as they climaxed, clinging to each other desperately.

Yet even recalling this, bubbling to the surface of the torrent of thoughts was still the dream itself. Kotetsu's forced smile, the sadness behind his eyes, and his casual tone as he made such a heavy comment.

_I'll never love another._

It was too much to take. He had to get away to go clear his head. Barnaby tried to slip away from the older man's grasp, but he was already starting to stir. His strong arms gripped Barnaby tighter, pulling him close.

Sleepily, Kotetsu opened his eyes, blinking a few times until his eyesight came into focus. "Mornin', Bunny," he murmured. He reached out and touched Barnaby's blonde curls. "Huh, even waking up, you look pretty good." He affectionately twirled a few loose strands through his fingers.

Barnaby felt a rising anxiety in his chest. He already knew the mistake he had made; he should not have let this happen.

_I'll never love another, _echoed Kotetsu's voice in his mind.

Kotetsu had not rejected his advances, but caught up in his confusion, Barnaby had forgotten the most critical piece of his dilemma: he was _in love_ with his partner. As much as he wanted him physically, he knew his feelings were too strong for him to be satisfied with a one-sided love.

And he also knew there was no way he could ever make his way into the heart of a man with those kinds of scars...

Barnaby had to get away to hide his inner turmoil. He pulled away from Kotetsu's grasp and quickly sat up on the side of the bed, his back turned to the older man.

"I don't know what we were thinking last night, but we should probably get going and ignore that this happened," he said evenly, hiding any trace of emotion in his voice that would betray him.

Kotetsu sat up quickly, now fully awake. "Ehh?"

"You heard me." _Please just go and don't make me speak anymore_.

To Barnaby's surprise, his usually garrulous partner was dead silent. Seconds ticked by at an agonizingly slow rate. As much as he did not want Kotetsu to see his face, in case it betrayed any of his emotions, he realized he had to turn around. _Maybe he fell back asleep_, he thought uneasily.

He turned until he could see him out of the corner of his eye.

Kotetsu was sitting up, one knee raised with his arms propped on top of it. He rested his head on his arms, obscuring his eyes. All Barnaby could make out was his deep frown as he clenched his jaw.

"Kotetsu-san?" Barnaby asked, his anxiety temporarily forgotten.

The older man stayed in that position a moment longer. Then he sighed heavily, sat upright, and glanced at Barnaby.

"I'm sorry, Bunn—I mean, Barnaby. I am really sorry."

Kotetsu averted his gaze. Then he wordlessly stood up, got out of the bed, and exited the room. Stunned, Barnaby stayed seated on the side of his bed. He could hear Kotetsu moving around in the other room—presumably, collecting his clothes and dressing himself.

At the sound of his door closing, he jumped to his feet. He did not expect Kotetsu would leave without saying anything, so it took him by surprise.

If anything, his partner's abrupt departure left him even more confused about his feelings than he had been a few minutes before.

_What the hell do I do now?_


	3. Chapter 3

Title: When Waking a Tiger

Rating: M

Characters: Kotetsu/Barnaby

Chapter: 3 of 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Tiger & Bunny

Warning: Explicit content.

_A very special thanks to calloutyoru for her help, guidance and inspiration in completing this._

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Uncomfortable. Awkward. Tense.

These words flooded Barnaby's mind as he and Kotetsu were forced to be together, again and again, for the next several days.

Barnaby surprised himself at how well he was able to keep his composure at work. In front of others, he avoided speaking directly to his partner unless absolutely necessary, but he was confident that by keeping an even demeanor, he had not aroused anyone's suspicion. When they were alone together, they simply avoided speaking at all.

Kotetsu's demeanor was a different story, however. The older man's attempts at appearing upbeat poorly masked his dejection. The other heroes had picked up on it, but other than a few comments directed at Barnaby to make sure to take care of his partner, no one had confronted Kotetsu on the matter yet.

_If only they knew how painful those comments were for me to take right now,_ Barnaby thought bitterly.

Thoughts of his partner and the night they had spent together constantly replayed in his mind. The feelings of love that he had been desperately trying to contain before the incident now felt like they were bursting out of control. He had barely been able to sleep or eat.

The effort of masking all of these emotions was unbearable, but somehow, Barnaby was keeping up appearances even better than he had before.

_Yet you're the one acting like you're upset, not even understanding was kind of pain I'm in_, Barnaby fumed inwardly. He glared at Kotetsu, who was seated next to him, wearing his usual black domino mask over his eyes. They had just completed an appearance on a variety show, and their backstage guide had asked it they could wait a short while to meet one of the executives who was a big fan.

Kotetsu stared downward, frowning slightly. He must have felt Barnaby's glare, however, because he suddenly looked up and met his eyes.

His deep brown eyes widened for a moment, and then a sad expression consumed his face. He sighed heavily, and averted his gaze again. "Listen, Bun... Barnaby. I need to say something about—"

Just then, the doors to the waiting room burst open, and the man they had been waiting to meet entered the room. The two men quickly forced a pleased expression on their face and rose to their feet. Barnaby tried his best to focus on the polite greetings.

He could not help but wonder what Kotetsu was going to say with such a melancholy expression on his face.

* * *

Kotetsu did not speak during the entire ride back from the studio. By the time Kotetsu pulled into the garage and parked his SUV, Barnaby could not help but feel furious. The entire time, he had been expecting Kotetsu to finish what he had started to tell him, but he was too prideful to ask himself.

Angrily, Barnaby unfastened his seatbelt and started to exit the car. Before he could stand, however, Kotetsu reached over and grabbed him by the arm. Barnaby inhaled sharply at the touch.

"Can you wait just one minute?" Kotetsu said quietly. Barnaby turned around, his green eyes wide in surprise.

"What?" he asked with irritation.

Kotetsu sighed heavily. He looked around to see if there was anyone else in the parking garage, and seeing no one, removed the domino mask from over his eyes.

"I'm no good at things like this," Kotetsu muttered, scratching his head. "So even if I don't make sense, just hear me out."

"I'm listening," Barnaby said impatiently. He realized his heart was pounding so loudly, he could hear the blood roaring in his ears.

"We've been through a lot. I know in the beginning, you didn't think much of me. Well, we didn't think much of each other, I guess," he fidgeted. "But after awhile, you started to trust me. I might've acted like it was to be expected, but it's not like I didn't realize what a big deal it was at the time."

He looked at Barnaby. His brown eyes were filled with such a deep sadness that Barnaby felt the breath catch in his throat when he spoke again. "I didn't mean to take advantage of that trust. I feel like I've done something really terrible to you. I'm so sorry, Bunny."

A shiver ran down Barnaby's spine. Swallowing hard, he leaned against the dashboard, burying his face in his hands, taking in the words.

Kotetsu sighed heavily, and humbly repeated, "I'm sorry." A moment later, Barnaby heard the click of a seatbelt, followed by the door being unlocked.

_You don't even know what you're saying_, he thought angrily. Yet even if there was a misunderstanding between the two of them, Barnaby knew the best thing he could do was keep quiet and let the other man leave so he could be alone with his thoughts. Everything would have been better if he had just kept it in to begin with. He was determined not to make his original mistake even more egregious.

Barnaby knew what would cause the last semblance of his self-control to slip away completely; if he said anything, all of the words he did not want to say would come tumbling out. But once again, his efforts to stop it were futile.

"What the hell do you think you're apologizing for?" he finally hissed, just as Kotetsu was about to open the door.

Kotetsu inhaled sharply and looked over at him. Trembling, Barnaby sat up straight, and glared at him, his green eyes filled with rage.

Confused, Kotetsu opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

"Do you even _know_?" Barnaby scowled.

"Y-yes, it's just hard to say!" the older man stuttered.

Barnaby clutched at his chest, trying to will his racing heart to slow down. "You truly have no idea," he disagreed. "If you had any idea, you wouldn't be apologizing right now."

"Hah? But I'm the one who took it too far..." Kotetsu protested.

"Idiot, I wanted that far more than you did!" the younger man barked, still grasping his chest. "But I'm the one who shouldn't have let it get that far because I can't keep my feelings straight in my head!"

Barnaby felt a hot blush creep over his face. _This it too much. You have to stop before you tell him everything,_ he thought to himself desperately. _You mustn't say it._

"Bunny, what's that supposed to mean?" Kotetsu asked carefully.

"I realized it, that time you told me, 'I'll never love another.' The way I felt when you said that wasn't normal. If I had never heard you say that, maybe I could have ignored it a little bit longer," Barnaby stammered, unable to stop the words from escaping from his throat.

"Eh? When did I say that?"

"A few weeks ago, when we stopped in that bar near my place after work," Barnaby replied. "The reaction I felt... It was like somebody knocked the wind out of me."

"But, Bunny—" Kotetsu started.

"That's when I realized I'm in love with you," Barnaby interrupted, fixing his pained green eyes on his partner. He felt his throat tighten, and he desperately tried to hold back his tears. "And _that's_ why it's wrong for you to apologize to me for what we did—I _wanted_ it. But it's my mistake, because I knew that I wasn't going to be able to take just that."

Barnaby averted his gaze as he continued. "It's almost too embarrassing to say... but I can't be the only one in love, especially with a person who won't fall in love again."

Then the blonde man clapped a hand to his mouth, holding his breath, trying to suppress the sob that was about to escape from his throat.

"Ah, this may not be the time to say this, but... that isn't actually what I said," Kotetsu gulped, fidgeting sheepishly. "Or if it was, it wasn't really what I meant to say. At that time, I remember—I was talking about my wife. And, well, what I was trying to say wasn't that I'd never love another _person_."

Barnaby's eyes snapped open, but he could not make a sound, in fear of a cry escaping his throat. Uncertainly, he waited for the older man to continue.

"What I meant to say was that I don't think I could ever love another _woman_," Kotetsu clarified. Then he leaned forward and brushed a gentle hand against Barnaby's cheek. "So you see, I do owe you an apology. If I had said that correctly at that time, you wouldn't have been feeling so terrible these last few weeks."

The young man trembled as he felt Kotetsu's hand touching his hot cheek. He could not hold back any longer. He began to cry, large tears rolling down his face.

"I'm sorry, Bunny," Kotetsu murmured softly as he reached out and pulled Barnaby into an embrace. "It's just me here, so let it out."

His resolve crumbled, and he clutched onto him tightly, sobbing uncontrollably. Kotetsu stroked his head reassuringly, whispering soothing words, until he started to calm down.

As he clung to him, Barnaby realized what a humiliating position he was in. He had just confessed everything that had been plaguing him, and now he had let go of the last shred of control and dignity he had. This helpless feeling made him want to both flee and cling to the older man even tighter.

Kotetsu kissed his forehead gently, followed by his temple, and next, his cheeks. Barnaby was so startled, he stopped crying as he stared wide-eyed at the man who appeared to be tenderly kissing away his tears.

His partner smiled slightly and brushed his fingers through his hair. "Feeling better now, Bunny?"

Wordlessly, Barnaby nodded in agreement. He started to apologize for his behavior, but Kotetsu silenced him by pressing his mouth against his own.

Maybe it was because of the roller coaster of emotions he had just gone through, but Barnaby felt that the kiss seemed even more passionate and tender than all of the kisses they had shared a few days before.

When they pulled apart, Kotetsu had a goofy grin plastered across his face.

"What is it?" Barnaby asked.

The older man scratched his chin, his fingernails noisily raking against the coarse hair of his goatee. "Oh, nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Well, I was just thinking about how a person like you is able to feel that strongly about somebody like me, and I guess that makes me feel pretty happy," he admitted, grinning wider.

Barnaby blushed, unsure of how to respond.

Kotetsu reached forward and tucked a strand of loose blonde hair behind his ear. "You know, it's not like I don't have feelings for you, too."

He jerked his head up in surprise. "What?"

"Well, yeah, of course I'm going to care a little bit more about you since we're partners and all, but at some point, it sort of turned into something beyond that," he admitted, smiling timidly.

"I don't understand," Barnaby replied.

He stopped touching his head and slid his hand behind Barnaby's head, pulling him into another kiss. When they pulled apart, Kotetsu looked into his eyes and nervously murmured, "I'm trying to say that I feel the same way as you."

This time, Barnaby was the one to kiss him. He leaned forward, desperately crushing his lips against Kotetsu's, pushing him back with his force.

"Why did you leave so suddenly after we slept together, then?" Barnaby asked, suddenly pulling back.

A surprised expression crossed Kotetsu's face. "You told me we should pretend it hadn't happened!"

"If you had just told me how you felt..." Barnaby started.

"No way," the older man shook his head negatively. "There's no way I could've said anything like that to you. You looked completely freaked out."

He averted his gaze. "That's because I had just had a dream about you saying you would never love another. When I saw you sleeping next to me, I realized there was no way I could deal with my one-sided feelings after we had been together."

Kotetsu cocked his head sideways and glanced upward. "Ah, well that explains why you were like that. I didn't know that though… I thought I came onto you a little too strongly."

"That makes no sense, Kotetsu-san. I was the one who kissed you first."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, but I took it further."

"I was also the one who invited you to my place with the intention of doing _that_."

"Ah, but after you kissed me, I was the one who kept moving everything along," Kotetsu interjected. "I was even the one who pulled you on top of me."

Barnaby furrowed his brow. "I see," he murmured.

"But you know, now that I know what was really going on, I guess it's okay to say it. It does feel a little strange saying it to a man, though," Kotetsu mumbled to himself.

"What are you talking about?"

Kotetsu looked at him. The apprehensiveness had disappeared, and now, his expressive brown eyes were filled with confidence. Barnaby could not help but stare directly back, locked in the intense expression.

"I love you, Bunny," Kotetsu declared.

Barnaby felt the breath catch in his throat.

"Kotetsu-san," he breathed, leaning in closer to him, until his lips were nearly brushing the older man's. "I... love you, too."

They kissed deeply, and Barnaby felt a warm, pleasant feeling rushing over his entire body._ I wonder if this is what being happy is supposed to feel like_, he thought.

As their tongues dueled aggressively, desperately fighting to gain territory in each other's mouths, Kotetsu reached forward and unzipped Barnaby's leather jacket. Yearningly, he started rubbing his hands over the thin fabric of his shirt. A moment later, he felt the older man start to unbutton his shirt as he placed his lips on his neck.

"What are you doing, Kotetsu-san," Barnaby whispered, his pitch higher than normal as he tried to keep an even tone while Kotetsu sucked at the sensitive skin on his neck.

"I want you right now," he rumbled in Barnaby's ear. He could not help but let out a gasp. Kotetsu bent down and started to repeat the same actions with his mouth on the younger man's toned chest, taking his time to explore all of his sensitive spots as he moved lower and lower.

Barnaby pressed a hand against his mouth and bit down on his finger, suppressing a yelp. "We can't do it here," he breathed, glancing around the garage. Though it was mostly empty due to the late hour, there were still a few parked cars.

Kotetsu, who had just finished undoing the white belt buckle around Barnaby's waist, sat back and sighed. "You're right," he agreed.

Feeling a mixture of relief and disappointment, Barnaby gingerly reached down to re-fasten his buckle.

"What do you think you're doing, Bunny?"

"We're going to leave, aren't we?" Barnaby asked, confused.

"Huh?" Kotetsu gave him a look that made him feel like he was insane for suggesting it.

"But you agreed with—"

"I agreed we can't do it _here_, as in the front seat," he interrupted, rapping his knuckles against the steering wheel. "This'll get in the way. So come on, let's get in the back."

Barnaby opened his mouth to protest, but when he saw Kotetsu's serious expression fixed upon him, a burning intensity in his eyes, the words died on his lips. Kotetsu nodded, smiling, and climbed into the back seat.

Except even in the comfortably-sized SUV, it was still impossible for a full grown man to easily get to the back seat of a vehicle that way. He wound up half-climbing and half-tumbling into the back.

Barnaby stifled a laugh. "What do you think you're doing, moving to the back of the car like a kid?" he chuckled.

Kotetsu looked at him sheepishly, then reached out and grabbed him firmly. "You're doing it, too, Bunny," he declared, yanking him into the back seat.

He cried out in surprise as he ungracefully tumbled on top of Kotetsu. He must have looked quite silly, his shirt and jacket hanging open, his belt loose, falling on top of a man in the back seat of a car... He blushed deeply.

His older partner seemed unfazed, however; Kotetsu had a much higher tolerance for embarrassment than he did.

Taking the lead, he shifted their positions until Barnaby was underneath him, and continued where he left off. He sensually ran his tongue across his toned abdomen as he unzipped the younger man's pants, freeing his throbbing member from its constrictive prison. Once he had his pants and briefs down, he skillfully stroked his erection. Barnaby moaned, a hint of a smile crossing his face that Kotetsu found very erotic.

His next move took Barnaby by complete surprise, causing him to let out a cry louder than before. Clamping his hands over his mouth unconsciously, he looked down at his partner. "_What are you doing?_" he gasped, barely able to form the syllables.

Kotetsu, who had just placed the other man's aching member in his mouth, erotically ran his tongue from base to the tip. Barnaby let out a cry, greater in both intensity and volume.

The older man's skillful mouth continued while he removed Barnaby's pants completely. As he started to remove his own clothes, he refused to detach his mouth from his partner's erection. He tossed his hat and tie in the front seat, and unbuttoned his vest and shirt, followed by his pants, which he slid down as far as his knees. All the while, his tongue never left Barnaby's skin.

Somehow, Barnaby had also managed to remove his jacket, but the loose shirt still hung open, exposing his chest. Unable to take anymore, the blonde man arched his back, moaning noisily. "S-stop," he stammered.

"Is it no good?" the older man asked, the tip still in his mouth. The feeling of his voice rumbling at his groin was more intense than he would have expected; a tremor ran down his spine and he moaned sharply.

"It's good. Uhn, it's good!" he repeated. He was now clutching the car seat, digging his finger nails into it sharply. "You're… going to make me..."

Abruptly, Kotetsu stopped and pulled himself upward, until his face was near Barnaby's. "Not yet," he grinned, "I'm not done with you."

Barnaby, barely able to consider his actions, lunged forward and placed his mouth on Kotetsu's neck. He bit down, perhaps a bit harder than he meant to, but the satisfying moan that escaped his partner's throat told him that it was alright. He fervidly kissed and sucked at his neck, wanted to take in all of the details he could, from his taste to his smell, from the happy gasps escaping his throat to the hot breath he could feel on his neck.

After a measure of time that Barnaby could not even venture to guess, Kotetsu gently leaned him back into the seat. It was hard to keep track of anything as the older man rubbed his hands all over his body, making him want to moan again and again.

The younger man allowed himself to be guided as Kotetsu continued. Barnaby hardly knew what to focus on. The hand sensually stroking his yearning body. The mouth pressed firmly against his, holding him in a breathless kiss. The other, more lascivious hand, slowly creeping toward his rear. His throbbing erection, pressing against Kotetsu's writhing body.

A few moments later, the question was answered for him. He moaned, his loudest cry yet, as he felt himself being entered by the other man. Once he felt himself being filled with his partner's aching need, he could focus on nothing else.

Although they were in the confined space of the backseat of an SUV, for some reason, his presence inside of his body felt even more pleasurable to Barnaby than it had before, in the comfort of a spacious bed. All of his hesitations and insecurities from then were gone, and he felt himself fully submit to his partner.

They pounded against each other again and again, their tempo gradually speeding up. Barnaby tried his hardest to hold back, but he started to climax first. "Ko… Ko-Kotetsu!" he shouted in ecstasy.

As though the younger man screaming his name in the throes of passion was the extra push he needed, Kotetsu came as well, with a shout rivaling Barnaby's in intensity. Then he collapsed on top of him, oblivious to the hot, sticky substance now covering his stomach and chest.

They laid there for several minutes, panting. Now Barnaby thought about how ridiculous _both_ of them must have looked, with their shirts hanging open, Kotetsu with his pants around his knees, and he naked from the waist down. _At least no one saw us_, he thought with relief.

Suddenly, the silence in the garage was broken by the _ding_ of an elevator, followed by the loud _clack_ of high-heeled shoes on pavement, echoing noisily across the concrete. They both froze, exchanging a look of fear. Barnaby prayed that she was not walking toward one of the cars parked near them.

"This might be our most dangerous situation yet," Kotetsu whispered, his eyes wide with exaggerated fear.

Although Barnaby was still coming down from the euphoria of his orgasm, the older man's ridiculous comment got to him. He tried his best to stifle a laugh, the effort of which caused him to dig his fingernails roughly into Kotetsu's back.

The older man hissed in pain, but kept his voice quiet.

A moment later, the clacking shoes passed by their vehicle and continued to a far end of the garage. They breathed a sigh of relief. Then Barnaby hit his arm with a loud _whack_.

"Ow! What was that for?" Kotetsu yelped in surprise.

"Who cracks a joke in a situation like that?" Barnaby chided.

"I was dead serious!" he said, staring at him wide-eyed, his eyes filled with mock sincerity.

Barnaby sighed with exasperation, but he could not quite restrain the smile on his face. They kissed again, pressing their lips together more delicately now that they had relieved some of their tension.

"Should we get out of here?" Kotetsu asked, grinning broadly.

"Ah," Barnaby nodded in agreement.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: When Waking a Tiger

Rating: M

Characters: Kotetsu/Barnaby

Chapter: 4 of 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Tiger & Bunny

Warning: Explicit content.

_A very special thanks to calloutyoru for her help, guidance and inspiration in completing this (and for the wonderful title!)_

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Back at Barnaby's apartment, they locked themselves inside of the bedroom, losing track of the hours that ticked by while they were caught up in their coital passions. Barnaby was pleasantly surprised that despite their notable difference in age, Kotetsu matched his stamina.

Yet reluctantly, they had to pull themselves away from each other when they realized they were both ravenously hungry. They had completely skipped dinner, too anxious to return to each other's arms in the sanctuary of Barnaby's apartment.

"That's so convenient that there's a delivery place so close to you, Bunny," Kotetsu said through a full mouth. "There's no way I could have waited much longer."

Barnaby flipped his hair behind his shoulder. "You could have always gotten something yourself," he commented.

"Ah, but this was way better." He glanced at the computer on Barnaby's desk, noting the late hour. "Say, Bunny, it's getting pretty late. I should probably get going, unless—"

Barnaby snapped to attention, a small flash of fury in his keen green eyes.

"—unless you want me to stay," Kotetsu finished. He looked a bit nervous after being the target of such a venomous stare.

The younger man relaxed visibly. "Of course. Stay."

Kotetsu smiled. "I just wanted to check."

"Why don't you take a bath when you're through? I'll clean up in here first, and then take one when you're done."

"Hmm, or you could come join me," he smirked.

"I'll pass for now," Barnaby replied with a smile.

"I'm going to remember that you said 'for now.' That means you have to say yes at some point," Kotetsu winked playfully.

* * *

Barnaby came out of the bathroom, carefully wringing the water out of his hair with a towel. When he entered the bedroom, he saw that Kotetsu was lying down in the bed, his naked back turned to him, the sheets pulled up around his waist.

He sat down next to him, and ran his fingers through his damp, dark hair.

"Did you even try to dry this?" he chided.

"Mmm, it's good enough," Kotetsu murmured in reply. Then he turned around to face Barnaby. "You changed the sheets," the older man mentioned.

"There was no way we could crawl back into bed in the state it was in earlier," he replied, absently tracing the visible lines on the older man's exposed chest and abdomen.

"Ah, but it kind of makes we want to mess them up again."

Barnaby smiled, leaning forward until their lips were almost touching. "Wouldn't you have wanted to do that anyway?"

"You're probably right." He reached up and grabbed the blonde man's shoulders, pulling him into a kiss.

Although their bodies were tired and sore, somehow, they found the energy to make love one more time. Barnaby writhed underneath Kotetsu, completely oblivious to anything besides the hands and mouth that seemed to be exploring every sensitive part of his body.

"Hey, Bunny," Kotetsu said suddenly, slowing his rhythm as he pulled himself up enough to look him in the eyes.

"What?" Barnaby panted.

"I kind of want to try something... Ah, well, how should I put it? It's a thing that only the two of us could do. I want to try it with you-but only if you're comfortable with it. I mean, it would be completely fine if you said now," he babbled, glancing from side to side as he tried to find the right words, slowing down slightly as he continued.

"Go ahead and ask," Barnaby said as reassuringly as he could muster. As shady as the other man was acting, he knew Kotetsu well enough to be certain that he would not ask anything too out of line.

Apprehensive brown eyes locked onto his. "Can we... use our powers right now?"

Barnaby's eyes widened in surprise. Using the strength they would gain from the Hundred Power could potentially be dangerous, but it could also lead to an even more intense pleasure. He stared up at his partner's large brown eyes. Though they were filled with desire, he also sensed the tenderness and care radiating from them. He knew that as long as he was in his care, nothing bad would happen to him.

Nodding his assent, Barnaby reached up and firmly grasped him by the shoulders. "I want to try it, Kotetsu-san," he said firmly.

"Are you sure?" Kotetsu asked. "I don't know exactly what—"

"I'm sure," he interrupted. "I trust you."

Kotetsu leaned down and kissed him. "Okay. I'm going to."

"Ah," Barnaby nodded. "Me too."

Blue light illuminated the room. Barnaby felt the muscles in his body expand as well as those in the body on top of him as the power began to surge through him.

Then they both cried out in unison as they realized the full effect of invoking their powers. Barnaby closed his eyes tightly, overcome by an overwhelming mix of both pleasure and pain. Every muscle in each of them, stronger than before, including the one _inside_ of him... He could barely control his senses, and from the noises escaping from his lover's throat, it seemed Kotetsu was in similar shape.

Yet his body adapted quickly, and after a few apprehensive thrusts, they found a rhythm much more intense than any either man had ever experienced.

Kotetsu moaned loudly. "I'm not going to be able to keep this up much longer, Bunny," he gasped.

"Me neither," Barnaby barely managed to say, his voice strained.

"Bunny, I'm gonna-"

"Ahh, so am I," he shouted. Both men cried out loudly, completely overcome by the intensity of their climax. Barnaby lost all control of what he was doing; he was totally overwhelmed by the orgasm. It was stronger than any he had felt before, and it felt like it lasted an inconceivably long amount of time.

Kotetsu collapsed on top of him, too overcome to move for a moment. Barnaby twitched a few more times, feeling several additional pleasurable bursts that he could only describe as aftershocks of the orgasm.

When he started to come back to his senses, he wrapped his arms around the older man resting on top of him, hugging him tightly to his chest. "Kotetsu-san," he whispered tenderly.

Tiredly, Kotetsu turned his head and looked at him. "Damn," he murmured.

"What is it?"

"I'm completely exhausted, but when you hold on to me and look at me like that, it makes me want to take in even more of you," he replied. He kissed him, first just with his lips, and then leaning in deeply until their tongues met.

"It's okay to rest for now. You can have me any time you want from now on," Barnaby whispered.

Kotetsu smiled. "You've said it now... Don't take it back."

"I won't," Barnaby replied. "But you have to take responsibility."

"Ehh? Responsibility for what?"

"For making me want to make this my reason for living," Barnaby said.

Kotetsu looked surprised for a moment, but then the same tender expression returned to his face. "Ah, I can take responsibility for that. Just don't regret making a bad decision later."

Barnaby smiled and reached out to stroke Kotetsu's face. "Kotetsu-san, I love you."

"I love you too, Bunny."

Shortly thereafter, both men drifted off to sleep, desperately trying to sleep as close to each other as possible, their limbs intertwined.

Right before he fell asleep, Barnaby had a similar thought to one he had earlier that day, only this time, with more certainty.

_This must be what happiness feels like._


End file.
